


Yule Father and the Thirteen Dwarves

by islandkate



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-25
Updated: 2020-12-25
Packaged: 2021-03-10 19:20:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,296
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28322265
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/islandkate/pseuds/islandkate
Summary: Why there are eight reindeer pulling Santa’s sleigh and how Fíli and Kíli lost the rest.
Relationships: Fíli/Kíli (Tolkien)
Comments: 4
Kudos: 8
Collections: GatheringFiKi - 12 Days Of Christmas 2020





	Yule Father and the Thirteen Dwarves

Did you know that the very first incarnation of Santa Claus was Odin? At that time he was called Jólfadr. Some have even tried to argue that he was one of the Blue Wizards. Not until Victorian times did the image of a fat jolly Santa wearing red and driving a sleigh pulled by eight reindeer appear. Before that he was a white-bearded gift bringer in a blue hood and cloak, who rode across the midwinter sky in a sleigh pulled by an eight-footed steed, visiting his people with gifts.

This is the tale of Yule Father and the Thirteen Dwarves…

Far north in the arctic circle, a company of dwarves served Mahal, who had come to be known as Odin after the Fourth Age. These dwarves created many wondrous things, such as Gungnir and Mjolnir. They also created jewelry, intricate carvings, and amazing toys.

One winter evening, Odin called his dwarves to help him solve a problem. Sleipnir had injured a hoof in their most recent battle with the ice giants. He needed an alternate form of transportation.

Balin was the first to speak. A most trusted dwarf, he managed and maintained the many books of Odin’s records of who exhibited knowledge and wisdom, who was distrusted, and who was worthy to enter Valhalla. “Perhaps some reindeer, Jólfadr?”

Fourteen heads nodded.

“Excellent idea, Balin. Well done. Who will get them?”

Fíli’s and Kíli’s arms shot up in the air. They were the youngest and always in search of adventure. Their enthusiasm made Odin smile. They were the hunters and mainly concerned with supplying the kitchen and larder. It was a perfect job for them. Really, everyone else was just too busy with their workload to be spared.

So close to Yule, all the dwarves seemed busier than usual. Bifur had his carvings. Bofur had already stolen Nori away from his own duties to help him make toys. Ori knitted and Dori sewed constantly. Bombur was busy in the kitchen keeping everyone fed and hydrated. Gloin measured gold from the huge treasury into small bags, appropriate for gifting. Oin created amazing medical items and false limbs. Thorin and Dwalin were busy in the forge.

While Fíli and Kíli sprinted to their quarters to gather their packs, Odin continued discussing needs with the other dwarves. Or rather, he listened while they listed the needs and divided the work among themselves. Occasionally, one of them would look to Odin to see if he was still happy. He finally just sat in a chair and called up an ale.

“Harnesses.”

“Ori, can you knit leather strips?”

“I can crochet them.”

“Done.”

“Harness bells?”

“Me and Thorin.”

“Good”

They continued until everyone was satisfied that they had covered everything. Everyone except Bifur, that is, who sat serenely amongst the chaos carving wooden snowflakes.

Fíli and Kíli burst back into the room. Kíli stopped so suddenly that Fíli nearly slammed into him. “Jólfadr?”

“Yes?”

“How many reindeer do you need?”

“Ahh. Good question. When you find them, bring the strongest. That will be good.”

Gloin tossed them several bags of gold, “Just in case you find the best on a farm. Leave the gold and slip away quietly.”

“What we do is secret,” reminded Thorin.

Kíli nodded solemnly, grabbed Fíli’s hand, and ran out the door and down the snow-covered lane.

Inside, Bofur burped and started a cacophony of challenges. A quarter hour passed before Bombur belched with enough length and volume to be unanimously declared the winner.

Within an hour, Fíli spotted a herd of reindeer, but they were deemed too small. Still, they marked the location, just in case.

Another hour passed and they began to see signs of men. Wary, they stayed well to the outskirts and finally found exactly what they wanted in a pen near a small farmhouse. Kíli immediately had the animals charmed. He leapt onto the back of the largest and picked eleven more to join him.

Fíli crept to the porch of the house and left all the bags of gold on a chair. Then he jogged to the gate and held it open for Kíli and his herd to escape. He secured the pen, jumped on the back of the last reindeer, and quickly caught up with Kíli in the lead.

“We have a dozen, Fi. Do you think we can take a break once we get back into the deep woods and celebrate?”

“Riding, we should get back in less than half the time it took to get here. So I think we can take a break at the river so the reindeer can have a drink.” Fíli answered.

“I brought them carrots, too.”

The two young dwarves and their herd were at the river in about a quarter of an hour. These reindeer were fast!

Both dwarves slipped from their mounts and Kíli quickly led the deer to the river, giving each a carrot. “Stay here, enjoy your snack, and have a drink,” Kili told them, walking down the line, rubbing each muzzle gently, “We’ll need to leave again soon. You’ll like living with us, I think.” All the reindeer snuffled in reply.

Fíli gathered several downed evergreen branches and constructed a makeshift lean-to with a floor to keep them out of the snow. He pulled a blanket out of his pack and bundled up, warming the air inside.

Kíli grinned wildly at the sight of the blanket and fort. He quickly snuggled inside. They rubbed each other’s hands to warm them up. Then one started rubbing the other’s back. Soon, they were making out and oblivious to their surroundings.

Several of the reindeer snorted and bumped their neighbors. Many whinnied in amusement.

A rumble and thumping rudely interrupted the fun. Fíli sat up, looking around.

Kíli frowned from underneath, “Was that a dragon or is Thor in a mood?”

Fíli snorted, but the bubble was burst and they quickly redressed before they got too cold.

Kíli went to round up the deer while Fíli broke up the lean-to and stashed the branches nearby.

Fíli found Kíli standing, stunned, staring at their small herd.

“Ki?”

“There were twelve reindeer. Now there are eight. What do we do?”

“Mistakes were made. Shirts were removed,” Fíli mumbled.

Kíli squinted at him.

Fíli could not believe they had lost a third of their herd. “We’ll look and see if they wandered off, then we’ll take all we have home and figure out a story as we go.”

Kíli nodded dumbly.

They searched but found nothing, so they mounted Hreda and Leiptr. Kíli had already named them all, and he was mourning the loss of Gledi, Svefn, Hnjosa, and Mysla.

Walking slowly and arguing about their story, it was nearly an hour before they made it back to Odin’s compound with a simple, believable story. Eight reindeer, one for each of Sleipnir’s legs. They were so proud.

As they trotted into the courtyard, Odin and the rest of the dwarves swarmed out and greeted them. Kíli introduced them to Reida, Hrósa, Hoppa, Fóa, Stjarna, Elska, Hreda, and Leiptr. Then he led them to the stable where each received a good brushing, a bag of oats, clean rushes, and a bucket of cool water. Odin passed by and whispered to the reindeer individually.

Back inside the main house, Fíli and Kíli shared a warm meal in the kitchen, then started packing the sled. Odin meant to leave at moonrise.

Finally, with all the projects completed, the sled loaded, and the reindeer harnessed, Odin was ready to race across the windy night sky. Thorin, Dwalin, Balin, Oin, Gloin, Bifur, Bofur, Bombur, Dori, Nori, Ori, Fíli, and Kíli gathered outside to wave as Odin passed in front of the moon. Then they went inside and got drunk.


End file.
